Two-way-folding seat.



J. F. FIDIAM & F. F. PERALTA.

TWO-WAY FOLDING SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I9, I918.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

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WITNESSES X9 777..

ATTORNEY 1. F. r'mmmwfi. PERALTA.

TWO-WAY FOLDING SEAT. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19.1918,

a M. N m WM m g 1 W M m 4 m m h 0 5 r a I- Y 8 s 1 u 4 5 0 1 N M ATTORNEY TED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES F. FIDIAM AND FLOYD F. PEBALTA, OF GREELEY, COLORADO.

TWO-WAY-FOLDIN G SEAT.

Application filed January 19, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES F. FIDIAM and FLOYD F. PERALTA, citizens of the United States, residing at Greeley, in the county of WVeld and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Two-VVay-Folding Seats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to theater seats and has for its object the production of a seat which may be folded in such a manner as to leave an aisle between the seats either across the theater or straight back from the stage.

The present invention is especially useful in theaters and other places of assembly to permit the same to be quickly emptied in case of fire and the like.

Other objects of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings a Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the chair in a folded position,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the chair in a folded position.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that 1 designates the base which may be formed with an upwardly extending neck 2 having laterally extending lugs 3. A pair of laterally extending seat supporting arms 4 are supported upon each lug 3 and extend from the sides of the base 1 as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Each laterally extending arm 4 is provided with an upwardly extending finger having a bifurcated end 6.

A seat 7 is carried by each pair of arms 4 and each seat 7 carries a hinging plate 8 upon the bottom thereof, each hinging plate 8 being provided with a depending ear 9 for fitting in the bifurcated end of the arm 4. A pintle pin 10 extends across the upper ends of the arms 4 and extends through the ear 9 for hingedly connecting the seat 7 to the arms 4.

The base 1 is provided with an upwardly extending rearwardly inclined back supporting arm 11 and a back rest 12 is hingedly secured to each side of the back supporting arm 11 as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. These back rests 12 are adapted to be folded toward each other as shown clearly in Fig. 3 for the purpose of permitting the back rests 12 to fit Specification of Letters Patent.

mounted an outer arm rest 18. 15 also 1s provided with a plurality of de- Patented Aug. 2'7, 1918.

Serial No. 212,668.

snugly together, in this way permitting a passage to be formed between the respective seats of a row. The base 1 carries a centrally arranged arm rest 13 which is supported upon the supporting rods 14.

A shaft 15 is carried upon the outer side edge of each seat 7 and is journaled within the bearing plates 16 as shown in Fig. 4. This shaft 15 carries a plurality of upwardly extending rods 17 upon which rods 17 is The shaft pending rods 19 being laterally bent ends 20 which laterally bent ends 20 work within the guiding grooves 21 formed upon the inner face of each arm 4, or in fact upon the upwardly extending ends 5 of the arms 4. These rods 19 are adapted to constitute a brace for the seat 7 when the same is swung to an operative position, thelaterally extending ends 20 of the rods 19 resting upon the bottom of the slots or grooves 21, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The laterally extending ends 20 will also limit the upward swinging movement of the outer edges of the seats 7, the ends 20 at this time resting against the upper ends of the grooves 21.

A lug 22 is carried by each seat 7 upon the inner edge thereof and these lugs are adapted to be engaged by the back rests 12 as the same are swung together thereby forcing the inner edges of the seats 7 downwardly and assisting in swinging the seats 7 to an inoperative or folded position. Lugs 18 are secured to the rear ends of the arms 18 for bracing the back rests 12 while the same are in an open position.

The present invention as above stated is especially adapted for use in theaters, or other public places of assembly and by considering the drawings, it will be seen that the seats are preferably grouped in pairs and by swinging the back rests 12 together and swinging the outer edges of the back rests toward each other the seats 7 may be swung upwardly thereby permitting the entire device to be folded and provide an aisle between each set of seats. In this way an aisle will be provided extending not only across the theater or other buildings, but will also be provided with a series of aisles extending at right angles to the transverse aisles, thereby greatly facilitating the emptying of the theatre or other public building in case of fire or the like. The

present device will also be found to be very advantageous in avoiding congestion in the main aisles while the building is being emptied under ordinary conditions by providing a plurality of aisles extending directly from the stage to the point of exit.

It should be of course understood that certain obvious detail mechanical changes may be made in the present device without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A chair comprising a supporting base, a seat supporting arm carried by said base, a vertically hinged back secured to said base, a seat hinged to said arm, and an upwardly extending lug carried by said seat and adapted to be engaged by said back as the same is swung to a closed position for raising said seat.

2. A chair comprising a base, a seat, a supporting arm, means for hinging said seat to said supporting arm, said arm provided with a guiding groove, a guiding finger carried by said seat, and an arm rest carried by said guiding finger.

3. A chair comprising a base, said base provided with a plurality of laterally extending arms, a seat pivotally supported upon said arms at each side of said base, an arm rest, a shaft secured to the edge of each seat, a plurality of supporting rods connecting said arm rest to said shaft, said arms provided with vertical guiding slots,

depending rods secured to said shaft, and laterally extending ends formed upon said rods and working in said slots for limiting the swing of said seat.

4. A chair comprising a supporting base,

seat supporting arms carried by said base, a seat carried by each arm at a point substantially the center thereof, angularly extending bracing rods secured to said seat and engaging said supporting arms for 5 bracing said seat when the same is thrown to an open position and limiting the swinging movement. of said seat.

. A chair of the class described comprising a base, said base provided with a plurality of laterally extending lugs, a plurality of laterally extending seat supporting arms mounted upon said lugs and extending from the sides of the base, said arms also extending upwardly and consti- JAMES F. FIDIAM. FLOYD F. PERALTA.

Vt itnesses:

THOMAS W. Jones, JOHN D. GIBSON.

@opies oi this patent be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 3. 

